When the Chicago Cubs are home on a Friday, they are usually the only matinee of the day with a 2:20 p.m. ET start and also shown nationally on the MLB Network. That’s the case this Friday as the Cubbies welcome the Cincinnati Reds for the first time this season. Chicago is favored on the MLB betting lines.

How to Bet Reds vs Cubs MLB Odds & Game Info

• When: Friday, 2:20 PM ET
• Where: Wrigley Field
• Probable pitchers (away/home): Anthony DeSclafani/Kyle Hendricks
• TV: MLB Network
• Live Stream: MLB.tv
• Radio: 670 The Score
• Opening MLB Lines: Chicago Cubs -165 (Total TBA)

Season Series

Why Bet on Cincinnati?

The Reds are last in the NL Central but playing much better of late. They split two games in Milwaukee to open this week. Derek Dietrich hit his 12th homer Wednesday in the Reds’ loss. Dietrich singled and scored in the second before adding to his haul by pummeling a two-out solo bomb in the third. The 29-year-old’s 12 dingers are only four off the career-high he set last season.

Outfielder Yasiel Puig (shoulder) was out of the lineup again Wednesday. Puig remains day-to-day after suffering a mild right shoulder sprain while making a fantastic catch on Sunday. Should stay off the injured list. Second baseman Scooter Gennett (groin) said that he’s aiming to return to the Reds’ active roster in “a couple of weeks.”

Closer Raisel Iglesias has now reeled off seven straight scoreless appearances and has converted his last four save chances after a rough patch in late April and early May. Overall, Iglesias owns a 3.33 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 33/8 K/BB ratio in 24 1/3 innings of work this season.

It’s Anthony DeSclafani on the bump. DeSclafani allowed four runs on six hits with four strikeouts and no walks across four innings while taking a loss against the Dodgers last Friday. All of the runs DeSclafani yielded came off three home runs. Long balls have been an issue for the right-hander since the beginning of 2018, as he’s posted a 1.9 HR/9 since then.

While DeSclafani’s ERA (4.60) is better than it was a year ago (4.93), his HR/9 is a little worse (2.0 versus 1.9) and his FIP is virtually the same (4.84 versus 4.83). That doesn’t seem to bode well for DeSclafani even maintaining an ERA of about 4.50. He is also 2-2 with a 1.24 WHIP and 50 strikeouts in 45 innings this season.

DeSclafani is 2-1 with a 3.19 ERA in five career starts at Wrigley Field.

Team Stats

• Runs: 4.10
• Hits: 7.27
• Walks: 3.04
• Strike Outs: 8.88

Defense

• Runs: 3.59
• Hits: 7.61
• Walks: 3.31
• Strike Outs: 9.82

Why Bet on Chicago?

The Cubs lead the NL Central and took two of three at home vs. the Phillies to open this week. Albert Almora hit his first career grand slam Wednesday in the Cubs’ 8-4 victory. Almora took Cole Irvin deep in the fifth for his fifth homer of the year. All five of those homers have come since April 25, and he’s hit .337 in 83 at-bats during that span.

The Cubs remain without super-utility man Ben Zobrist. Cubs manager Joe Maddon said there’s no timetable for Zobrist’s return to the active roster. He is going through a divorce with his wife Julianna, a professional singer who has performed the national anthem before Rays and Cubs games and also sang “God Bless America” during Game 4 of the 2016 World Series in Chicago.

Closer Pedro Strop (hamstring) was able to complete another 25-pitch bullpen session on Wednesday. Strop has had no setbacks since being placed on the injured list with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain. A short rehab assignment could be next for Strop, and he could rejoin the Chicago bullpen before the end of May.

It’s Kyle Hendricks here. Hendricks improved to 4-4 in last Sunday’s 6-5 victory over the Nationals, limiting the opposition to four runs on six hits and two walks over 5.2 innings while striking out four. After allowing only one earned run in 25 innings spanning his last three starts, Hendricks had nowhere to go but down in Sunday’s turn. While the right-hander was unable to keep his momentum going and missed out on a quality start, he made only one major mistake on the night, serving up a three-run home run to Anthony Rendon in the sixth inning.

The start before that, Hendricks tossed eight-plus frames of one-run ball in the Cubs’ 3-1 victory over the Reds. Joey Votto — who has been a longtime Hendricks tormentor — popped a solo shot off of the righty, but that was one of just three hits Hendricks allowed on the night and the only run. The pitcher picked up three hits at the plate himself and drove in a pair of runs with a double.

Team Stats

• Runs: 5.42
• Hits: 8.83
• Walks: 4.40
• Strike Outs: 8.92

Defense

• Runs: 4.15
• Hits: 8.23
• Walks: 3.96
• Strike Outs: 9.04

Reds vs Cubs MLB Betting Trends

• Under is 5-0 in DeSclafani’s last 5 road starts vs. Cubs
• Reds are 2-5 in DeSclafani’s last 7 starts vs. Cubs
• Reds are 1-8 SU in their last 9 games when playing on the road against the Cubs
• The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cincinnati’s last 6 games against an opponent in the National League
• Cubs are 13-5 SU in their last 18 games at home
• The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Cubs’ last 7 games against Cincinnati

Expert Final Score Prediction for Reds vs Cubs

Cincinnati Reds 3 – Chicago Cubs 6